Signaling device



Patented Sept.` 18, 1928.

`UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM SPARKS, THEODORE JOHNSON SCOFIELD, LLOYD ELMER JOHNSON, ANL

FRED WILLIAM BILLIG, OIEI JACKSON, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNORS TO THE SPARKS- WITHINGTON COMPANY, OFJ'ACKSON, MIOHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

SIGN ALING DEVICE.

Application led May 18,

*l acter, and which device isfso formed and arranged that the ornament-al sound-emitting portion may be positioned on the exterior of the vehicle body and secured to the body, while the pressure producing apparatus and its driving means may be positioned at a distance from the sound-emitting portion, as for instance under the hood of an automobile where it is not ordinarily exposed to view.

The securing means for the sound-'emitting portion is of such a character-that fluid under pressure can pass through it from the pressure producing means to the sound-emitting structure. y More detailed objects relate tothe simplicity and strength of the structure andthe detailed form, arrangement and association of the parts thereof, all as will more fully appear from the following description, taken` in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an elevation of a device of this invention,

'Figure 2 is a section on line 2 2, Figure 1. Figure 3 is a section on line 3-3, Figure 1. Figure 4 is a section on line 4-4, Figure 1. Figure 5 is als'ection on line 5-5, Figure 1. The structure as herein illustrated consists of a rotary electric motor -1- lhaving its armature shaft substantially vertically discase of the motor is of substantially circular form and provided with a depending tubular boss'-3- in. which the upper end of the posed and the upper end wall -.-2-of ther of its circumference.

' case -7- are secured to the flanges -8' and 9 respectively formed jupon the up- 192i'. serial No. 92,331.

-1o poie pieces 11- and field @011s f -12- are provided.

The actual structure of the motor may vary widely, the essential being a means for producing rotary movement, and any form of electric motor may be'utilized which is capable of driving a rotary compressor which constitutes a portion of the device, and for this purpose the end wall or head -2- is formed with a circular chamber or cylinder 14T- on the side opposite the electric motor -l-, and this cylinder recess or chamber is eccentric with respect to the armature shaft 4-, and to the rotor shaft -lewhich is aligned with the armature shaft -4-, and may be connected to the rotor -13- in any suitable manner, a-s for instance formed integrally with the rotor.

The rotor shaft extends into and is journaled in the boss -3- and may /terminate a short distance above the upper end of the armature shaft -4-, and is connected to the armature shaft for simultaneous rotary movement, while permitting relative longitudinal movement in any suitable man- V mature shaft -4- are a sectional armature shaft and for the purpose of the claims of this application may be so considered.

The rmature shaft being concentric with the end ead -2- and the rotor -13- being concentric. with the armature shaft, the rotor is eccentrically positioned in the cylinder or chamber -14- by reason of the fact that the said cylinder is formed eccentrically in the end head.

The end head -2- is further formed withA an air storage chamber -17- in this instance arranged concentrically with thewall of the cylindrical chamber' 14- and extending around the cylindrical chamber throughout. slightly more than one-half This storage chamber is in communication with the pressure side of the rotary pump through a port -18- in the wall gof the chamber -14-,

i per end wall -2|. The usual armature andthrough this port' air under pressure v-as is ejected by the rotor 13 from the chamber -14- and for effecting this rcsult the rotor --l3- includes one or more, in this instance three movable blades -19- slidably mounted in grooves or recesses in the rotor, and preferably spaced equal distances apart and adapted to be thrown out by centrifugal force as the rotor -l3 is driven by the armature shaft 4L- The compressor chamber -14- is formed with an air inlet .-20- at the suction side of the compressor,and which air inlet penetrates the bottom wall of the compressor chamber, and leads into the casing -51- which encloses the electric motor -1-. This casing is usually imperforate and for the purpose of admitting air to itsN interior, it is formed with a. struck-up portion -52 interrupting the continuity of thecasing wall and form` ing a passageway -53- leading to a passageway S4- through the liange 55- on the end head -2-, whereby air may be freely supplied to the inlet -20- o'f the compressor, and without the production of vacuumwithin the casing -51.-

Mounted upon the upper end ofr the head -2- and covering the compressor chamber -14- and the storage chamber -17- is an end cap -80 secured to the head -2- in any suitable manner, as by screws --8l--. This end cap is formed with a boss 82- formed with a conduit .9 5- leading to the storage chamber 17- and the wall of the conduit is interiorly threaded for the recep# tion of one of the threaded ends of a tubular elbow -83---, the opposite end of which is connected to a pipe m84- as by union -S5-. In addition, the boss -82 is further formed with a lubricant-receiving chamber -85- normally closed by screw 86u and adapted to contain lubricant-retaining material, such as felt or the like, the lower end of the lubricant chamber leading to and communicating with the compressor chamber -14-.

The pipe -84- is connected at its end op-Q posite the elbow 83 to a second elbow 87- as by union -88- and the opposite end of the elbow is threaded into the head portion of a tubular screw `-89-, the opposite end of the tubular screw being threaded into the internally threaded base --90- of a hollow horn body -91-.- The tubular screw vk 89-d in connection with the base ofl the horn-body -91- constitutes a means for connectingl the y sound-emitter portion of the structure to the wall 92eof a vehicle body suchv as an automobile body, and in order to effect the connection itis only necessary to form an opening in the wall H2- of a size to receive the tubular screw m89--.

` In assembling the parts the screw is passed through the opening in the wall .-92- and is then threaded into the base -90- ofthe horn-body -91 and suitable washers -93- and -94- may be provided disposed upon opposite sides of the wall -92- and between the base of body ,-90-, and the head of the tubular screw -89'-. In this manner a rigid single point connection for the soundemitting portion of the structure is provided vand in which the Huid for actuating the sound-emitting devices passes thru this single point connection, i. e. through the tubular screw -89- into the horn body -91-.

The structure here illustrated is designed to include two sound producing structures, and except for the length of the projectors G0L these sound producing devices are of similar form, shape and structure, and a description of one constitutes a description of Vboth.vr The projectors 60 differ in this illustration in that one of them is somewhat longer than the other for the purpose of producing different notes which by suitable adjustment of the devices can be Imade harmonious in character.

In each case the projector 60- has its rear end threaded into the front end of one of the bosses -59 on the horn body and a tube --61- is threaded into the boss so as to substantially contact with the rear end of the projector -60-, and this tube projects rearwardly from the boss 59%.

' Each boss -59- has a circumferentially enlarged intermediate portion forming an annular chamber G2- surrounding the tube-61- and 1in communication with the respective conduits 5S- each boss is internally enlarged with respect to the front end and is threaded for thereception of an externally threaded tubular boss -63- formed concentrically at the base of va cup-shaped member -64- which may be locked in any desired position with respect to boss -59- by means of lock nut -65.

' The internal diameter of the boss G3- is somewhat greater than the external -diameter of thetube e61- so as to form an annular passageway around the tube leading from chamber -62- to the interior of the cup- 1 shape member -64-. The external wall ofA the cup-shape member -64- is externally threaded for cooperative engagement with the interiorly threaded flange upon a cupshape ca -66-, and this lcap 6G- is formed with a radial shoulder 67'- between whichand the end of the cup-shape member 64- a thin metallic diaphragm 68+ has its edge confined. l

j The size and arrangement of the parts is such that when the diaphragm is positioned, as described, it extends across and normally closes the rear open end of the tube 61 and preferably the rear open end of tube 61y is flared, as indicated at'-69.'

It is found that the air in the chamber between the diaphragm -68 and the. cape-66- varies in pressure somewhat in acoordanc. with the temperature t0 which the The rear end of f device is subjected, thereby varying the 'preslong as suflicient space is provided, as for instance by -small-v grooves or passageways -73-- for the escape or entrance of air.

In operation, when the armature shaft is rotated, air entering through inlet -20- is compressed and ejected through outlet -18- into storage chamber -17-, and thence passes thru the hollow horn body 91- to through annular passageways -75- to the interior of the cup-shape member 64- into contact with the front side of diaphragm -68, whereby diaphragm 68 is caused to -move slightly rearwardly to permit the escape of the air through the/tube 61-.

The resiliency of the diaphragm and the variation in pressure, due tothe escape of air, returns the diaphragm to the position where it closes or substantially closes the inlet to tube -61-, and the operation is then re- A'peated, thereby causing a rapid vibration of the diaphragmover the vmouth of the tube -61-, producing-and causing t-he projectors to emit a musical tone. The spacing and supporting member -76- may be interposed between Athe end of the shorter projector -60- and an intermediate portion of the latter, and this spacing and supporting memher maybe formed with a groove for receiving the edge of the shorter projector and with an vinclined surface conforming to the external wall of the longitudinal projector. By adjusting the cup-shape member 64'- in the boss -59- a proper positioning of the diaphragm -5-684 can be effected to produce the desired note, and the member -64 may then be locked in place by lock nut -65-.

From the above-it will be apparent that the ornamental sound-emitting portion of the structure including the projectors 6G-and the diaphragm chambers and the horn body,

are secured to a wall of the vehicle by a single point connection, and are positioned exterior of the vehicle body, while the' motor and pump may be positioned at any point within4 made of a suitable length for predeterminedl installation. The end head 2.- as shown,

adapted to receive suitable attaching means for mounting the structure.

And altho we have shown and described ay specific structure as constituting the' perhaps preferred embodiment of the invention, we do not desire to restrict ourselves to the details of form, construction or arrangementl ber Ywhich extends through the opening in the respective chambers -62- and thence r a rotary compressor driven thereby, an end cap mounted on the compressor and having a passageway in communication with the pressure side of the compressor, a', horn body and a pipe connecting the passageway in theend cap to the horn body, and a sound producing device inconnection with the horn body.

3. A signaling device comprising a motor, a rotary compressor driven thereby, .an end cap mounted on the compressor and having a passageway in communication with the pressure side of the' compressor, a horn body in combination with a wallhaving an opening therethrough, a pipe connecting the passageway in the end cap to the horn body and including a tubular member securing the horn body to said wall and a sound producing device in connection-with the horn body.

4. In a signaling device, the combination with a. wall having an opening therein, of a horn body having an inclined base conforminglwith the inclination of, the wall and av conduitv for supplying iuidunder pressure to the horn body including altubular -nut having a portion extending through said wall and secured to the horn body, and a sound producing device in connectionwith the horn bod Iiir witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands this 9th day of May, 1927.

wILLiAMsPARKs. THEoDoRE. JoHNsoN scoriELD. LLOYD ELMER JoHNsoN.

the vehicle body and the pipe S4-'- may be FRED WILLIAM BILLIG. 

